This evening I made a flight from Vashon Island (just love that municipal!)to Darrington WA, in my battered BirdDog. I've made the trip several times, but with the safety net of GPS and a flight plan and going the other way. Tonight, feeling a bit cocky, I thought I'd try something a little different. I started from Vashon Municipal with no FP thinking that I knew the route backwards. Long story short, I took a wrong turn somewhere and found myself in the mountains having to fly higher and higher! It's daft I know, but it was getting scary and I'm thinking OMG, I'm lost! I'm desperately, yes, desperately looking for somewhere to land....Nothing! Eventually I spy a blue circular icon with EAT next to it. As I got nearer, Hallelujah! It was an airport.
Two questions, one; Is it right that a grown man should frighten himself like this, when he can easily hit 'Esc'?
Two; I couldn't find any reference to EAT on Google Earth even giving the map reference. What's THAT about?

Cheers, Ron

EDIT: Despite being stressed out I made a nice smooth landing. (Thought I'd let you know. )

Computer: Black box with a bunch of electrical looking stuff inside. Lots of fans and blue lights and it sits there humming away gently and lets me play games on it.

Funny you should mention this. I've been trying to teach myself dead recokining, and the other day I took off from Stark's Twin Oaks in another manufacturer's aircraft (OK, the RealAir Citabria, if you're curious), bound for Tilamook. Made the mistake of trusting the map more than my headings, followed the wrong road, and after getting really concerned about the length of the flight, found myself above a narrow flat plain right against the sea. Broke down, checked the GPS and found out I was in Astoria. Landed safely, feeling happy to have landed anywhere...

Hay Ron , Check this out . I notice you and quite a few here fly in Washington State(me included) . It's a PDF file(manual) that might be very useful . It was posted on sim-outhouse.com a few days ago .
Very interesting and helpful for those of us that get lost once in awhile .

This is beautiful, Rich. It's a pretty useful pdf, so thanks!
Yeah - for GA and testing the BD the OrbX PACNW and AWO Arlington is my home base, too - as it's very frame-friendly, has good runways and approaches, and is well-positioned for excursions "up-country".